Colonel 'X'
Colonel 'X' is the shadowy leader of the Popular Militia and the Kirlawan Popular Front Early Life Little is known about Colonel 'X' before about 2307, when he emerged as a prominent member of the Voter Protection Squads, forerunners of the Popular Militia. He is assumed to have been born in around 2285, either to a family of immigrants or outside Kirlawa (due to his heavily accented voice). Paramilitary Career He first emerged into the public sphere as a spokesman for the Popular Militia during their early years. He was involved in the capture and possible abuse of three Rildanor men who the Popular Militia found crossing the border into Kirlawa He soon became recognised as the leader of the Popular Militia across Kirlawa, and at this time entered politics as a representative of the Kirlawan Popular Front. The Popular Militia were active in low level anti-fascist violence throughout the following two decades, and this led to accusations that the Popular Militia was a revolutionary communist group. In the Kirlawan Civil War of 2333-36, Colonel 'X' led the Popular Militia forces in Merkan, which was a major area of guerilla activity against the fascist government. He readily accepted aid from Dundorf, and is believed to have negotiated deals by which the Liberty Brigade received arms and training. The Popular Militia assisted the Dundorfian invasion of Kirlawa in 2335 with intelligence and supporting operations, and Colonel 'X' was heavily involved in the 'liberation' of Freiheitstadt (the main city in the border regions of Merkan which has a large number of Dundorfian immigrants). Political Career He entered the Kirlawan House of Representatives in the 2309 elections, and soon rose to a prominent position in the party, mainly due to the support of Popular Militia members within the KPF. He rose to the position of Defence Minister in the Left Coalition-Angelis governments of the 2320s and 30s, and was nominally in charge of the Kirlawan Armed Forces at the time of the outbreak of the Kirlawan Civil War. At the same time he maintained a senior position in the Popular Militia, and there was much disquiet at the dual role that he held, as well as the fact that few people knew very much about him. Following the fascist coup of 2333, Colonel 'X' was ousted as Defence Minister, and narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. He relocated to Merkan and organised the resistance there. In 2337, he returned to politics, as the Defence Minister of the Democratic Republic of Kirlawa. He was on the DRK Co-ordinating Committee, and was rumoured to be it's de facto leader. He became the official leader of the Kirlawan Popular Front at this time, although Gerard Luze acted as Prime Minister of the DRK and Dorien Chernell led the delegation to the Kirlawan Pan-National Council. Second Civil War Colonel 'X' disbanded the KPF in 2357, and disappeared along with many of the rest of the party and the Popular Militia forces. It had been thought at the time that he had been the victim of a Dundorf-sponsored purge to install the more ideologically aligned Anarcho Socialist Party. However, the Popular Militia were in fact embarking on an ambitious plan to infiltrated the fascist-controlled region of Nuchtmark. In 2366, at the height of the Second Civil War, the Popular Militia launched a series of terrorist attacks on military and government targets. Along with international assistance and a military coup against the fascist government, this hastened the end of the period of division in Kirlawa. Peacetime Leadership During the reunification process, the KPF won an overwhelming number of seats in the first free elections, but did not use this to change many policies, as it was clear that the result was likely to be due to the small number of parties able to operate on a national basis. The Colonel led the KPF into a period when it was often in government, and although he never stood for Curator Pacis, he helped Gerard Luze to win seven times, six in succession (2379, 2382, 2385, 2388, 2390 and 2393) and again in 2397. In 2422, estimated to be about 140 years old and in ailing health, the Colonel was unable to stop the break up of the KPF over religious policy. =Subsequent 'Colonel X's= From the late 2380s onwards the leaders of the Popular Militia, and of the Kirlawan Popular Front were all called Colonel 'X'. At least four individuals after the original are thought to have used the name. Wilhelm Lieberknecht, who led the Kirlawan Popular Front while it went under the name Greater Dundorf Party is thought to have been the last Colonel X. Category:KirlawaCategory:2330s North Artanian Crisis